


Shifting Opinions

by CR Noble (erudite12)



Category: SPN, Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Purgatory, Shapeshifting, therianthropy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 15:57:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7178627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erudite12/pseuds/CR%20Noble
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Before I got stuck in Purgatory, I would have agreed with you. But the time I have spent here has changed my opinion.” He looked into her blue eyes. “It ain’t always what you are. Sometimes it has a lot more to do with who you are.” He reached over and cupped her face in his hand. “And of the two of us? Well, I’m more of a monster than you will ever be.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shifting Opinions

**Author's Note:**

> So, I decided I should probably update Ao3 with some of the fics I have on my Tumblr blog hardertobreatheat-night.tumblr.com, if you want to check it out.

Ashley stalked through the trees in the forest of Purgatory, following a scent that was almost as familiar to her as her own. Benny Lafitte smelled like the cold air after a day of snowfall and of cinnamon whiskey. It had been a while since she’d seen him, and she missed his presence, his protection. He gave the ability to rest without having to worry that some monster was going to kill her in her sleep. He had taken her under his wing when she had shown up in Purgatory, and then she had grown to love him. He was like the big brother she’d never known she wanted.  
She padded quietly along the trail of the scent, her large paws distributing her weight in such a way that they made almost no sound at all. She opened her mouth and took a breath, tasting the air. A new scent had mingled with Benny’s, like old worn leather, the heat of a summer’s day and sex. Definitely a human smell, which meant whoever it was coming from did not belong here. This was a world of monsters and abominations. She continued to follow the trail until she came to the edge of the tree line and saw Benny standing in the middle of the clearing. Next to him stood a man, presumably the leather scented human. He was tall and broad shouldered, and he carried himself like a trained killer.  
Probably a hunter, Ashley thought to herself. She watched the two of them for a while, waiting to see what the leather-hunter-man would do with Benny. They seemed to carry on like old friends. The hunter obviously had no intention of harming Benny, so she padded forward out of the trees and towards her old friend. The hunter caught movement in the corner of his eye and turned toward her. She began to shift mid-stride into her human self, watching to see the hunter’s reaction. It was the reaction she expected, he backed away a few steps and raised a blade that looked like he had made it out of sticks and bones. She was fully shifted by the time she stood in front of Benny, who waved at the hunter to put his blade down and smiled at her.  
“Long time, Ashley,” Benny drawled, pulling a pack off of his back and sitting down. She glanced over at the hunter, who had lowered his blade and was currently staring at her with one raised eyebrow. Which was probably because she was completely naked after the shift. Benny was pulling clothes out his pack for her. He always carried an extra set because they were never sure when they might run into each other, and she certainly couldn’t carry a pack in the form of a Jaguar.  
“See something you like?” she inquired of the hunter, putting a hand on one hip. He looked away, and coughed.  
“Uh, sorry. It’s just been a while since I saw a naked lady,” he said. “Since I started out being rude, I think I’m just going to roll with it. What exactly are you?” She laughed. She liked this man already, and could understand why Benny would be consorting with him.  
“Well, for starters, my name is Ashley. And I am a Polytherian,” she replied. He just looked at her blankly. Apparently he’d never heard of someone like her. “Do you know what a Therianthrope is?” He shook his head. “From the beginning then, I guess. A Therianthrope is a human who can shift into the form of an animal.”  
“Like a werewolf?”  
“Yes. They are one form of Therianthrope, but not the only one. A Polytherian, like myself, can shift into multiple animal forms.” He nodded, taking it in.  
“And do you also rip the hearts out of people’s chests and eat them?” She didn’t think he intended to be insulting or an asshole, he was asking out of genuine curiosity.  
“No. That is a werewolf trait. Not many Polytherians are into to human meat.” He nodded again. “Me personally? I’m a vegetarian, even though both my animal forms are predatory.”  
“Well, I’ve seen the black Jaguar, what else can you turn into?”  
“A falcon, which is definitely the more pleasant of the two, but has been rather useless since my arrival in Purgatory.”  
“Not much small enough for a falcon to beat in here, Cher,” Benny said to Ashley. She was fully dressed now, and she sat next to Benny and looked up at the hunter.  
“True enough. So, now you have me at a disadvantage. You know all this stuff about me, and I don’t even know your name.”  
“Oh, sorry,” he said, smiling. “Dean. Dean Winchester. I’m human, and a hunter. My best friend is an Angel and a moron, and he got us both stuck in purgatory. I’m trying to find him and the way out of this shithole.”  
Dean was surprised by himself. He’d only just met this girl who could turn into a jaguar, and he’d never even judged her for being a “monster.” Purgatory must be rubbing off on him. It would be awfully difficult to have allies if he was looking for someone who wasn’t a monster. But Benny was a decent guy, even if he was a vampire, and Ashley, well… he didn’t have words for her. At least not ones he would say out loud. She was beautiful, even as a damn cat. And in the few days they’d known each other, he’d learned that she was genuine, smart as a whip, and had the same self-deprecating sense of humor he had. And she never judged him by the fact that he was a hunter, either.  
Damn it, Dean thought to himself, I’ve gone and gotten feelings for this girl. It was a bad idea, especially because he was getting the hell out of here as soon as he found Cas, and he was already taking Benny with him. He hoped she wasn’t feeling the same way he was, cuz she’d be getting her heart broken. So, Dean shoved away any emotional connection he felt with her and they kept looking for Cas. He avoided being alone with her, and only carried friendly conversations, mentally slapping himself when he found himself making stupid jokes just to hear her musical laughter.  
Ashley could tell that Dean was avoiding her, but she didn’t know why. Not that she minded, she had gotten much too close to him already. And it was already breaking her heart that he would be leaving. What the hell is wrong with me?She thought. It’s not as if there could have ever been anything real there, anyway. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Dean was sitting on a fallen tree, sharpening his blade and laughing at something Benny had said. Damn, he was sexy, and she knew she was too far gone. He had shared bits and pieces of his past with her, telling her about his brother Sam who had been addicted to demon blood, and who had sacrificed himself to end the Apocalypse.  
She sighed and shifted into the Jaguar, stalking through the trees toward the little pond she could smell on the other side of them. When she reached it, she lay down with her back paws tucked underneath her and her front paws stretched out in front of her, wishing she could feel the warmth of the sun on her back. She missed being a part of the living world, instead of in this dull, gray hell. Ashley smelled him before he came upon her, but she didn’t turn to look at him. She simply stared mournfully over the tiny body of water until Dean sat beside her. They sat silently for a long time, staring across the pond.  
Dean couldn’t take it anymore. He had spent the last several hours just wanting to be alone with Ashley, and now that he had finally given into it, he was just sitting there. I mean, it didn’t help that she was a jungle cat at the moment. What was he supposed to do, reach out and scratch her ears? He looked over at her, and knew that she was sad. About what, he wasn’t sure. He ran a hand through his already messy hair and sighed.  
“Ya know, two weeks ago, all I had on my mind was finding Cas and getting the hell out of here. But now, I…uh… I can’t seem to make myself stop thinking about you.” She lifted her head off of her front paws and turned toward him. He decided to continue. “I mean, what are you going to do after I leave? I don’t really want to leave you here. You don’t belong here.” Ashley was shifting into her human self, and Dean watched the transformation. It wasn’t scary, or messy like a werewolf’s shifting. It was graceful, delicate, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he found it sexy as hell.  
“I’m a monster, Dean,” she replied. “I do belong here.”  
“Before I got stuck in Purgatory, I would have agreed with you. But the time I have spent here has changed my opinion.” He looked into her blue eyes. “It ain’t always what you are. Sometimes it has a lot more to do with who you are.” He reached over and cupped her face in his hand. “And of the two of us? Well, I’m more of a monster than you will ever be.” She was leaning into his touch and he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers softly. She quite literally purred, and it was the most attractive sound he’d ever heard a woman make.  
It was Ashley that deepened the kiss, her lips and tongue demanding more from Dean. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and pulled herself closer, so that she was straddling him. His hands pulled her into him and desperately roamed across her back, hips and thighs. She broke the kiss, but only for long enough to push his jacket off of his shoulders and pull his t-shirt over his head. Dean looked into her eyes, which were now the amber cat eyes of her jaguar form.  
“You’re beautiful,” he said, almost a whisper. She smiled and kissed him again. It didn’t take long before they were skin to skin, each taking in the sensation of the other’s body against them. When they were spent , and panting, Dean held Ashley against his bare chest and breathed in the scent of her. They didn’t speak for a while, just lay there enjoying each other’s silent company.  
“So,” Ashley said, finally. She looked up at him, propping her head up on one hand. “What now?”  
“Do, you..” Dean sighed, not sure what exactly he was going to say. “Do you want to go back with me?” Ashley’s eyes widened in surprise at the request.  
“I’d love to Dean, but what about Benny?”  
“Well, if there is a way to get him out, there is a way to get you out. And once we find Cas, we should be able to get you both out of here.” Dean looked over at her and she smiled softly.  
“Yes, Dean. I want to go with you. And stay with you. Forever maybe.” Dean chuckled.  
“Forever, definitely.”


End file.
